Who are the next actors of Belal Muhammad and Leon Edwards?

Looking at what’s happening now, it doesn’t seem like the UFC is eager to have Muhammad and Edwards fight a third time, and Edwards will likely have to fight a top contender before he gets his shot at Muhammad again. Belal even joked that he wouldn’t give Leon another title shot for “three years.” Let’s take a look at both fighters and play matchmaker for their next fight.

After winning the UFC welterweight title, there seems to be only one name that qualifies as a worthy next challenger for the belt. He is undefeated, has a 100% finish percentage, and is quite possibly the scariest man in the welterweight division. If you haven’t guessed who that is yet, Shavkat Rakhmonov of Kazakhstan should be next for Belal Muhammad. While Muhammad excels at winning minutes and putting himself in the least dangerous positions, Rakhmonov is the literal opposite: he brings danger and ferocity to every fight. He has defeated all of his opponents, all eighteen of them, and deserves to fight Muhammad. We’ll see who can execute his game plan.

Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

As mentioned, Leon Edwards just didn’t seem to belong. Whether it was the time change, an inability to execute a game plan, or something else, Edwards was unable to stop Belal Muhammad for the majority of the match. It’s a tough loss and he’ll have to look at the rankings for his next fight. In my eyes, I see two options: Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry. These two, ranked #5 and #7, are respectfully very viable options. Jack Della is likely still recovering from an injury but should be ready to fight as soon as Edwards wants to return to competition. On the other hand, Ian Machado Garry fought just a few weeks ago at UFC 303 and should also be looking to get a fight by the time it makes sense for Edwards to return. Fans wanted to see JDM and Garry fight each other, but with Edwards’ sudden loss, plans change. In my eyes, either option would be acceptable for Leon Edwards, but I think Leon should try to fight the higher ranked opponent in Maddalena. If Leon can stop this devastating hype train from the Australian, it should immediately give him a shot at another title shot, regardless of who holds the belt. I would rather see Leon Edwards fight Jack Della Maddalena, and Ian Garry fight rival Colby Covington.

Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena

Who do you think will be next for Belal Muhammad and Leon Edwards? Let me know in the comments.